


La première danse

by HogwartsToAlexandria



Series: Stony Week 2019 [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Coming Out, Fluff, Humor, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Jock Steve Rogers, M/M, Masturbation, Prom, Stony Week 2019, not explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-02 01:36:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19189264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria
Summary: When the matter of going to prom is raised Tony can't be bothered to pretend he's into girls anymore, even if he knows for sure Pepper would say yes, it's just not fair to either of them. And then he tells Rhodey that, and when was Rhodey not the best wingman ever?Stony Week 2019 Day #4, prompt #1: "High School"Tony Stark Bingo 2019 Fill, T4: "High School"





	La première danse

**Author's Note:**

> Fourth entry for the Stony Week! Hope you'll like it! It was betad by QueenMaeve again and she did a fantastic job so thank youuu ❤
> 
> Keeping on with my Pride Week, today I present to you high school gay boys figuring their stuff out ;-)
> 
> ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

He's huffing in annoyance even before the guy opens his mouth this time. He already knows what's coming; they've had the same conversation at least six times since the beginning of the week and that was two days ago.

"Save it, Rhodes," Tony puts all his books in his backpack without looking or caring about what they are, he'll need them at some point during the week anyway. 

"Tones, come on," Rhodey tries, but Tony closes his locker with a loud metallic bang and his best friend doesn't push it.

"I'm not taking anyone to the prom, I'm not going, period." Tony says, hikes his glasses up his nose, shoulders his bag and rushes to his next class, trying to hide the wince he can't help at just how heavy he's made it. Stupid. 

He sits through the calculus class and ignores Rhodey, who he knew had the same class but let's not talk about Tony's useless dramatic departure. He's bored to the point of having bitten off the last of his nails when the bell rings and not for the first time he wishes the school would let him skip those and attend MIT’s on the other side of the street instead. 

He glances at his best friend but doesn't make any obvious moves to show him he's waiting for him. They're going home together after all so it's not like he can just storm off without him. 

When they're in the car and music is blasting in the cabin Tony chances another glance at the other boy but doesn't say anything when he finds Rhodey kneading the flesh of his thigh. He did that whenever bad traffic forced him to remember his accident; it's nothing new and nothing Rhodey would want to talk about.

Not for the first time either, Tony is grateful he has the means to have his own place and his parents let him take Rhodey as his roommate so soon. Senior year of high school and already sort of independent is a situation that agrees with him fully. Now if only Rhodey would let this whole prom thing go he could at least enjoy his night. 

But he doesn't. Damn he's stubborn. 

"I don't understand why you don't want to take Pepper with you; she'd say yes, you know?" 

Tony puts his bag by the door of his bedroom and turns around to face his best friend sitting on the couch. He's frowning in this way he does when he's intently trying to figure something out but frustration is halfway through taking over him. 

Tony sits on the arm of the loveseat opposite Rhodey, an incredulous look on his face. He's gone through all emotions known to man today but now disbelief seems to wash over him the strongest and Tony's had enough of eluding his best friend's questions and prods for days. 

"You really don't know? Like, seriously don't know, this isn't a play to make me say it?" Tony crosses his arms and he knows he's being defensive in his posture but he can't help it, even if it's Rhodey and they're brothers and whatever, maybe even more because of all that. 

Rhodey shakes his head quick and exasperated before he catches up with the end of Tony's sentence and narrows his eyes a little, "What would I wanna make you say?" 

Tony gets up again, takes a turn on himself slow and thoughtful, running a mental check of himself and coming back with the only possible conclusion to his study - he is nervous as fuck. 

"I--" he pinches the bridge of his nose, rubs his face with his full palm, "I'm  _ gay _ , Rhodey. Gay, queer, interested in guys not in Pepper, will never be, not gonna happen.  _ Gay _ ."

The silence that follows is a tad too long for Tony's nerves and the array of emotions that pass over James' face a little too readable but eventually his friend starts smiling. And there it is, the smirk in the corner of his lips he gets when he's finally figured something out, doesn't matter if he was told what it was - satisfaction. 

Rhodey is an open book, always has been and sometimes it annoys Tony but not this time, not today. Tony releases the breath he didn't know he was holding and ventured a hopeful smile. He needed Rhodey to be okay with that, needed it to not change anything between them or he would blow a fuse trying to get over it. Losing his best friend would probably end him - or, if he was a less dramatic person, hurt him profoundly. 

Rhodey kept on smiling before chuckling, "That would explain it." 

And that's all they say about it. Tony keeps looking at him, stealing glances the whole night and the day that follow, worried Rhodey actually didn't process the news and is going to leave him the second he does. 

It never comes. They go on with their lives and it's only when Tony's had long enough to realize the backlash he pictured countless times will never come that he breathes his pleasure at not being pestered about Pepper anymore. 

He likes Pepper, loves her even, but never the way Rhodey implied and he's pretty sure their friend has what could only be described as a major crush on Happy than anyone else. And a requited one at that. 

The relief is short-lived though and Tony knows it the second Rhodey comes home on Friday. His smile is just a bit too big for his face and his eyes are filled with the light of knowledge, a dangerous one when it's shed on Tony. He squirms on the couch and tries to ignore his friend. 

Like that ever worked.

"What's up with you this time?" Tony caves when Rhodey starts whistling through the motions of making dinner. 

He doesn't turn around nor looks up from where his chopping tomatoes into cubes and that might be just as well. 

"I met someone," Rhodey starts and only continues when Tony huffs impatiently. What comes next takes him off-guard though. "Jock, football team, blond, cute, I guess?" 

Then Rhodey looks up, winking at Tony and smirking when he finds him mouth agape and halfway through infuriated. 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he finally erupts.

"Relax, tin tin, didn't say anything I just happen to know he doesn't have a date. Also looks an awful lot like that guy from the superhero movies you like so much…" Rhodey cuts himself off and starts whistling again.

Tony only replies with the force of his middle finger and goes back to his studying, hoping that will be the end of it. 

It isn't. 

They eat in near silence in front of the TV, reruns of Downton Abbey playing just so they can see what all the fuss is about and finally shut Happy up about it. Neither of them would ever admit they're as taken as their friend with the story of the Crawley family. 

Tony does the dishes like the good roommate he tries to be but ends up dropping the plate he was so carefully washing when Rhodey goes to leave the room for the night with a few simple words. Innocent words maybe; unlikely ones that cut the breath out of Tony's windpipe for a few seconds.

"Steve Rogers. In case you were wondering." 

It takes a while before Tony manages to unglue his front from the side of the sink, the handle of the cupboard underneath jabbing at his thigh the whole time.  _ Steve Rogers? _

Tony doesn't do easy judgements or at least he tries not to, but thinking Steve Rogers could be - is, apparently - gay, is so out of what Tony considers to be the realm of real life possibilities that he stands stunned to his spot. 

Then again, that doesn't mean he'd be interested in Tony anyway. With the likes of him and the people he hangs out with Tony is actually pretty sure he'd never stand a chance in a million years. 

Then again, Rhodey is the one who's mentioned it. How in the hell he found out about Steve's sexual orientation is a question for another day, but whether Rhodey knows more than he's let on occupies Tony's mind till early in the morning. 

Steve is the first guy Tony has really looked at through high school and questioning his sexuality and eventually coming to terms with it. He's always known, sort of, that guys do it for him but Steve Rogers?  _ Steve Rogers _ really does it for him. First day of high school, orientation day, everything Tony hates - team sports under the fading sun of September and too many people to catch a break - had turned into his first wet dream ever. 

The shoulders to waist ratio on that guy had rendered Tony speechless the second he saw him: jumping for the basketball with his shirt riding up his stomach and sweat covering him in a glistening sheen that made Tony want, hard. 

The sight he made, Tony would never admit it, has been a major feature of his lonely nights ever since. 

But the worst part isn't that Steve is hotter than the sun, no. Tony can deal with sexual attraction and unrequited desire alright. The part he can't handle as easily is the one where their teachers paired them in French class this year and he actually has to sit there trying not to gawk and stomach the fact that the guy he's dreamed about so many times is also incredibly smart and sweet. 

What a drag. 

Tony huffs in his pillow later that night and decides he'll stop trying to sleep - he won't manage it tonight so might as well get up again. 

He changes his mind as quickly as the thought enters his mind. He's hard as a rock under his sheets and there's no way that's going away on its own. No risking Rhodey seeing him like that either, yew. 

So Tony takes his laptop from his bedside table, sets it down besides him and opens it. 

What he needs is easy to find then, blond jocks aren't exactly a rarity on the market of porn actors. 

He should probably feel bad about this but he can't bring himself to that point, not anymore. He's done this too many times already. 

It's over in less time than Tony could  admit even to himself. A few strokes and the first moan of the blond guy getting ready to top a faceless partner and Tony is gone. 

He tries to stay quiet, presses the heel of his palm against his mouth even but a gargled whine escapes him anyway. 

Finding sleep after that is a little easier and with one last thought to the revelation of Steve's sexuality, Tony is out for the night. 

The next morning he doesn't see Rhodey, bastard only starts class in two hours. He gets around to finishing his morning routine of half-assed workout and mockery of a breakfast before he leaves. He double checks his coffee cup is secure in the cup holder of his car and kicks up the engine. 

Mornings are never Tony's strong suit so it's no surprise that he only remembers French is his first class of the day by the time the bell rings. 

He feels himself blushing even before he catches a glimpse of Steve - the angel he is already settled in his seat with his notebook and pens out, not even chatting with anyone even though the teacher isn't here yet. 

Tony makes his way to their shared table and gives the other boy a simple wave in greeting. Not unusual given the hour so at least there's that. Except Tony is exceptionally awake today and the entire two hours the class lasts he can't help but be acutely aware of every movement Steve makes.

It's a good thing today isn't one of those  _ "invent a dialogue" _ or  _ "prepare a debate" _ kind of days because Tony can't be sure he wouldn't blush to the roots of his hair if he had to talk to Steve right now. 

So he barely talks. That's more unusual and he thinks he's being very obvious. After all the time and effort he's given to making sure Steve would never know about his crush Tony wants to punch Rhodey in the face with how very obvious he is now that he  _ knows _ . 

He meets Steve's eyes when he clumsily lets his pen roll of the table and the guy picks it up for him - of course he does. And it's like Steve is trying to tell him a thousand things at the same time for the half-second Tony manages to hold his gaze. 

He looks curious and amused and confused all at once and here it is, Tony is blushing big time. 

He gets his pen back and their fingers brush and he feels like he lives in a damn romcom today but Steve chuckles and Tony wants to disappear. 

Except he can't and when the bell rings and Steve holds him back so he doesn't leave Tony realizes it's good that he doesn't have the power to screw up  _ everything _ that is good in life. 

Steve smiles at him but doesn't say a word. He uses the hold he has on Tony's wrist to turn his hand around and slips a piece of folded paper in his palm. 

He bites his lip,  _ fuck, he bit his lip _ , and then lets go of Tony and leaves before Tony can -  _ the ass on him _ . 

Tony facepalms slowly before looking at the paper in his hand, almost making it fall in his haste. 

_ "I think you'd look good in a suit, what do you think? Wanna go with me?" _

**Author's Note:**

> See you tomorrow for more!


End file.
